My fists curled into balls at my side. The way I had tohearit, in my own house.
She was supposed to be on her knees beggingmefor everything her body needed. That wicked tongue was made for me, notthem. I’d thought maybe if she saw a gentler side of me, she’d come to realize how our jagged edges fit together and change the focus of her attention. Somehow, I’d even come to the conclusion that I could share her with Gabe, if that’s what they both wanted.
The other three could go kick rocks with no shoes on. I wanted them around to use their dead affinities and to have a wyvern in our ranks, but that was the sole purpose they served in my mind.
Her voice startled my eyes back open. “Are we back to being the broody little commander? The reprieve from his arrogance and wrath was nice while it lasted, but I knew it couldn’t be forever.”
The faux sweetness in her tone made my lips thin as I pictured wrapping my hand around her throat until she couldn’tsass me anymore. But then I remembered her throat was quite occupied nowadays.
There was nothinglittleabout me, and she knew it. What she didn’t know was that this could have been forever, if she would just open her eyes and see how I was trying to bridge the chasm we’d created between us in the first few weeks of her being here.
“Do you have any openings in your schedule to gag on anyone else’s cock today, or are you full up?”
I didn’t think before my mouth opened and spewed the first thought I had. My words came out sharp and biting, causing her to visibly flinch. I watched the openness I’d recently come to enjoy seeing on her face melt away, replaced with the snarky, pissed off princess I’d known her as.
A stab of regret speared my chest.
Fuck, maybe I needed to just actually talk to her about how I felt. But what if she rejected me? That was the question that had been holding me back for days. I’d rather live in uncertainties than know with finality she didn’t want me.
“Depends on who is asking,” she retorted, lifting her nails to examine them. “If it’s for you, then I’m full. If it’s for literally anyone else with a dick in the Rebellion…” Her eyes flicked back up to mine, “Then I can squeeze them in.”
And there went the regret.
I was a fucking fool to think she’d see what I saw between us. But maybe that was where I went wrong to begin with—thinking there was a future in which we could put aside our differences and revel in the inferno we created between us.
Why the fuck couldn’t I feel this draw toward any other angel in the Rebellion? Literally anyone. Standing here arguing with her would only rile me up in every way possible. I needed a cold shower and space from her as soon as possible. I resigned myself to do my job this morning and nothing more.
It was likely we were going to have to work together with our affinities as a Rune Maker and Star Keeper, and I’d taken on the responsibility of training her from the beginning. I had to find a way to turn this switch in my brain off and fall in line with my duties once more, though. My toxic infatuation with Kieran wouldn’t be the reason the world perished.
“Start running,” I instructed in a cold voice, pointing at the starting point of the course I’d carefully constructed within this warehouse.
I ran my eyes over the course with appreciation thrumming through my chest. It’d been a labor of love, creating this death trap with my runes. Only the highest level combat angels were allowed in here to train, considering the amount of injuries it resulted in. To test her abilities, I’d already planned on having Kieran come here the next time she was with me for more training, but now I’d probably enjoy watching her get her ass knocked around a little bit.
She jogged over to the start, propelling herself up with her wings to the high platform. “I don’t understand what I’m looking at here, Steele.” Her voice easily carried through the large room, echoing slightly.
“That’s the point, Princess,” I called back, smirking at her. “There are runes all over it, hiding exactly what you’re facing until the moment it happens. We use it to help train reflexes, instead of simply memorizing a typical course ahead of time. You’ve seen how quickly we need to react in a real battle.”
I also changed out the runes often to keep my people on their toes. The current model was truly spectacular, though.
“Great,” she muttered softly. “I thought I was fucking done with obstacle courses when I left Alfemir. Am I able to use my wings?”
My face screwed up at the question. Did they not let her in Alfemir? That was an odd thought. “Yes, any tool you have at your disposal in a regular battle is fine.”
She jumped up and down a couple times while shaking her hands out, warming her body up as I’d taught her. After a few quick stretches that I had to force myself to stop watching in appreciation, her muscles bunched in preparation to fly. She took off, launching into the open space above three large wooden spikes protruding from the wall that were presently visible. Just as everyone did.
The first rune glowed above them as her energy set them off, launching out a multitude of long, rectangular blocks of wood at alternating lengths and speeds. She managed to dodge the first two on instinct, but the third caught her in the shoulder, making her let out a string of curses.
“Motherfucking shit.”
The corners of my lips turned up and I let my wings unfurl, carrying me toward the course so I could follow her progression up close as she went.
Falling back into the zone, she quickly righted herself and managed to fly through the rest of the blocks to the next platform. I had to hold back my chuckle for what was coming when she landed. I couldn’t spoil the fun with my anticipation out loud.
The second her feet touched down, I felt the rune drawing on my energy. Distracted by trying to scope out the wall for any hidden traps in the next part, the bottom of the platform fell out beneath her and a yelp escaped her as she plummeted. As she popped back up, flying above where she stood seconds prior, her height triggered the next rune.
A blast of air knocked her forward in the course, setting off a chain reaction of different gusts knocking her around like a newborn angel with no control of their wings. She tumbled,desperately trying to right herself with her arms and wings, but every time she gained traction, the next gust sent her spiraling the opposite way.
I couldn’t hold back my laugh anymore as she shouted, “Steele, what the fuck!”
